Hey everybody! The Buffista Cookbook really does rule. I use the cookie recipes on a regular basis.

Also, I've been looking into PhDs in the States lately, and I know there's a few people on the board who have already taken that route. I have many, many questions, but my main one is - how necessary is it to be proficient in a foreign language? Is it something they waive if your'e coming from a system where that's never been a requirement?

Tina Fey is so damn funny. I also like how they just ignore Amy Poehler's pregnant belly.

I have to figure out how to structure my day, so I don't end up watching So You Think You Can Dance on MTV all day.

For an archaeology PhD in an anthro department, you will probably need to pass a written test where you translate a scholarly passage. In one language; they tend to prefer one relevant to your course of study. (But my friend who wrote PhD in American history passed hers with Russian!)

Classics is a whole 'nother kettle of fish. I took classical Greek for 6 quarters in my PhD program, and had to pass written exams in French and German. I think Italian or modern Greek would have counted, and maybe Turkish depending on your area of study. I don't think you can get in to a Classics phd program without at least some latin or Greek.

Oh, and if your native language is not English, they *might* waive the language requirement, if you do well on the TOEFL. I don't suppose you grew up speaking Irish? Turks and Greeks in my program generally only had to do one foreign language exam (plus English).

I don't remember Lewis needing a foreign language requirement for his Ph.D., but then again, he was in a science track (genetic epidemiology and biostatistics) so that may be the reason why.

Thanks, flea. I'd be hoping to do local archaeobotany (although so far I've had trouble finding a department that covers that - it all seems to be South American or Near Eastern material), so I can't think of a language that would be relevant to my area of study.

I might be able to get away with translating Irish I suppose. Although I'm as crap at that as I am at French, which was my foreign language in secondary school.

Crap French has gotten generations of people through the exams. They give you a dictionary to use, and an hour for, like, a page.

he was in a science track (genetic epidemiology and biostatistics) so that may be the reason why.

That's the thing - I think in order to do the sort of research I want to, I'd have to work through the science and the arts faculties. Maybe they'd be more likely to waive the language requirement that way?

Also flea, I don't suppose that you have any knowledge about archaeobotany in the States? Although given your focus on Classics I guess it's unlikely.

I know some archaeobotanists... most of whom you know too. BU has a good archaeology program, in an independant department. I think they have a science component. I can name you top archaeological Anthro programs (Michigan, Arizona) but I don't know if they have archaeobotany. Another keyword to look for would be environmental archaeology.